Apple Watch Control Center May Support Third-Party App Shortcuts in watchOS 26

Apple’s upcoming watchOS 26 update could introduce support for third-party shortcuts in Control Center, according to a report from 9to5Mac. This would allow settings from third-party apps to be accessed right alongside Apple’s own Control Center options.

Right now, the Control Center on Apple Watch (accessed by pressing the Side button) is limited to Apple’s built-in shortcuts for doing things like toggling on Wi-Fi, turning on Airplane mode, activating Do Not Disturb, and pinging the iPhone, but watchOS 26 could bring some of the same customizations that Apple added to the ‌iPhone‌ in iOS 18.

‌iOS 18‌ introduced a customizable Control Center that supports third-party shortcuts on the ‌iPhone‌, so it makes sense that the feature might also expand to the Apple Watch. Shortcuts could be useful for activating specialized workouts in third-party apps, launching streaming music apps, logging food and water intake, and more.

The Apple Watch Control Center could get new options for customizing the layout through the Apple Watch app, with Apple allowing users to add new shortcuts and remove those that aren’t necessary.

watchOS 26 is set to debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins with a keynote event on Monday, June 9.
This article, “Apple Watch Control Center May Support Third-Party App Shortcuts in watchOS 26” first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Latest posts

Claude can now connect to learning apps like Canvas, Panopto and Wiley

At the start of April, Anthropic released Learning mode, a feature that changed how Claude would interact with users. With the tool enabled, the...

The best Amazon Prime Day deals for day two are live: Get up to 50 percent off our top picks on headphones, TVs, robot...

Amazon Prime Day is finally here, so now’s the time for members to stock up on discounted home essentials, clothing, shoes, and of course,...

The MyPillow guy’s lawyers fined for error-riddled AI-generated court filing

MyPillow CEO and election conspiracy enthusiast Mike Lindell's legal team is in some hot water after submitting an AI-generated court filing, as reported by...

The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2025

The line between laptops built for gaming and those built for heavy-duty computing work has all but disappeared. These days, you don’t have to...

The latest Kindle Scribe is on sale for a record-low price thanks to Prime Day

The latest Amazon Kindle Scribe ereader is on sale for just $260 as part of the Prime Day festivities. This is a record-low price...

Google Maps comes to Garmin smartwatches

If you’ve ever wished that your Garmin smartwatch could do a better job of helping you find the restaurant you’re late for dinner at,...

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to PS5 later this year

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to PS5. On Wednesday, developer GSC Game World said the shooter will launch on Sony's console later...

X CEO Linda Yaccarino is stepping down after two years

Linda Yaccarino is stepping down as CEO of X, apparently effective immediately. She posted the news, naturally, on X, saying "I’m immensely grateful to...

All digital Xbox games now carry standardized accessibility tags

Microsoft just announced that all digital games and experiences are now accompanied by clearly labeled and standardized accessibility tags. These Accessible Games Initiative tags...

The best Amazon Prime Day 2025 robot vacuum deals that you can get right now

Robot vacuums are some of the pricier smart home gadgets you can get, making them great items to look for during sales like Amazon...